Of the 30 MLB teams heading into the start of the 2017 season, Boston Red Sox are third in total wages ($199,805,178 [£159,997,740]) behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($242,065,828 [£193,838,747]) and their biggest rivals, the New York Yankees ($201,539,699 [£161,386,690]).

Liverpool has the 5th highest wage bill in Premier League with £152 million spent on wages in 2015-16 season. Their wage bill has been increasing steadily over the last three years with £140 million back in 2013-14 season to £144 million 2014-15.

AS Liverpool Football Club’s campaign nears its conclusion with what supporters hope will end with a place in the Champions League qualification places, over in the United States, owners Fenway Sports Group’s Major League Baseball franchise, the Boston Red Sox, are embarking on their long season.

One-hundred-and sixty-two regular season games will be played between now and early October - 81 at home, 81 on the road - before the stage is set for the post-season and maybe a shot at another World Series crown.

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Since FSG took charge of the Red Sox in 2002, the ballclub has won three World Series titles - 2004, 2007 and 2013 - in something of a rollercoaster period in which last-place finishes in their tough, five-team American League East Division have also occurred.

However, 2016 was a decent year for the team as they won their division earning a place in the playoffs, only to fall at the first hurdle to the World Series-bound Cleveland Indians, led by Boston’s former manager Terry Francona.

The historic Fenway Park

With aims of securing immediate success, FSG went out in the off-season and made a blockbuster trade for highly-regarded starting pitcher Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox.

Left-hander Sale, 28, was acquired in a five-player deal in which the Red Sox gave up their prized Cuban-born infielder and MLB’s top prospect, Yoan Moncada, as part of the trade.

Sale was immediately handed a $12m (£9.6m) contract which is set to rise to $15m (£12m) in 2019.

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With the retirement of legendary slugger David Ortiz following the end of last season, the Red Sox recognised that more hitting was required. As a result, they acquired first-baseman Mitch Moreland from the Texas Rangers. The left-handed power hitter inked a one-year deal for $5.5m (£4.4m).

Indeed, of the 30 MLB teams heading into the start of the 2017 season, they are third in total wages ($199,805,178 [£159,997,740]) behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($242,065,828 [£193,838,747]) and their biggest rivals, the New York Yankees ($201,539,699 [£161,386,690]).

The average for the League is $137,746,636 [£110,303,199] which tells you plenty that FSG mean business when it comes to the Red Sox.

In fact, FSG have never really shied away from splashing the cash since they took charge of the franchise in 2002 and have only been outside the top-three spenders on five occasions in that time.

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With three World Series titles to show for that spending and a number of playoff appearances, FSG would rightly view this as greenbacks well spent.

It will be of great interest to Liverpool supporters to see if the FSG chequebook is opened for Jurgen Klopp in the summer should he wish to boost his squad for the 2017-18 campaign - but qualification for the Champions League may perhaps be the most important factor there if top-end players are to be lured to Anfield.

Fan pictures of Liverpool FC's clash with Roma at Fenway Park

The pressure is certainly on at Fenway Park as it is at Anfield with expectations great among the fans.

So it’s now up to the players to deliver on the diamond for the next six months over in North America, and on the football pitch over here for the remaining handful of Premier League games.